Boulevard Bistro Features Fresh, Authentic Food at Great Prices

On a street lined with sandwich shops and pizza parlors, Boulevard Bistro stands out from the crowd. Located at 301 South Ave., on the corner of South and Boulevard, this new Italian restaurant offers made-to-order meals, homemade pasta, and reasonable prices.

The space itself is small but used well; it’s not overly crowded, and the tables are set up so that you won’t be bumping elbows with your neighbor. The yellows, oranges, and browns that make up the floors, hanging lamps, and furniture provide a sense of calm that is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the commuters and the train station right across the street. Soft music played overhead at such a volume that guests wouldn’t notice the sound unless they tuned into it, so that it never interfered with conversation. A flat-screen television on one wall was turned to about the same volume, serving as background sound without disturbing guests who didn’t choose to watch.

Our meal started with Italian bread and an olive oil and Parmesan cheese dipping sauce, with ice water served in small wine glasses. When I ordered a Sprite, the waiter brought it to me in an old-fashioned glass pop bottle, popped the cap with a metal bottle opener, and poured it over ice right at the table. While my date and I waited for our food, the water, bread, and dipping sauce were always refilled at just the right moment; our needs were satisfied quickly but I never got the feeling that the wait staff was lurking or hovering with the water pitcher.

When I ordered my meal—a breaded chicken cutlet panino with fresh Mozzarella cheese, fried red pepper, and balsamic vinegar—I had a question about the difference in taste between fried peppers and roasted peppers. When my waiter didn’t know the answer, he asked someone who did know right away, and I was able to make a choice quickly, without having to wait for him to seek out someone who could help me.

The food came out quickly, while it was still very hot—I could tell it hadn’t been sitting around on a counter somewhere in the back waiting to be brought to me. The chicken on my sandwich was cooked perfectly, not overdone or dried out, the cheese was fresh, and the balsamic vinegar complimented everything well. My date ordered the Fusilli Bolognese—homemade pasta with meat sauce—and later told me it was some of the best pasta he’d ever had.

Other choices on the menu include homemade ravioli, chicken francese, shrimp scampi, and a grilled chicken and fillet minion dish. There are also several vegetarian options, including wild mushroom soup and a tri-mushroom risotto dish.

Throughout the meal, our waiter was mindful of our needs, checking on us a few times to offer Parmesan cheese or water refills and asking how everything was, without making us feel like he was hovering or rushing us through to the bill. On our way out, we were personally thanked for coming in and given a take-home menu. The price was more than fair for homemade pasta, fresh ingredients, and made-to-order food; we spent about half as much as we could have at a dinner chain restaurant and were rewarded with stomachs full of high-quality food and a personable, attentive staff who seemed genuinely proud of their new restaurant.